Even Eid celebrations couldn't put a smile on the tragedy-hit faces in Myanmar.
The death toll from Friday’s catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake has surged past 1,700, with another 3,400 injured and over 300 still missing.
A rescue worker inspects during a search operation at the site of a collapsed building. Reuters.
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Amid the devastation, Myanmar’s Muslim community faces an unspeakable tragedy—more than 700 worshippers perished as mosques crumbled during Friday prayers in the holy month of Ramadan.
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Rescue workers continue a search operation at the site of a collapsed building, in the aftermath of a strong earthquake. Reuters.
The earthquake struck midday on Friday, the holiest day of the week for Muslims, just as worshippers were gathered in mosques across the country. Tun Kyi, a member of the Spring Revolution Myanmar Muslim Network, described the horror: “Some 60 mosques were damaged or destroyed. People had no time to react—walls caved in, minarets toppled, prayers were drowned out by screams.”
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rescuers search for survivors at a collapsed building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Mandalay. Reuters.
In Mandalay, where the destruction was severe, Htet Min Oo, a 25-year-old survivor, had just finished his ablutions when the earth convulsed. The walls of his home and the mosque next door collapsed in an instant, trapping his family beneath the rubble.
“My aunts were buried first. We pulled one out alive, but the other didn’t make it. My uncles and grandmother are still under the debris. After so long, I don’t think there’s any hope,” he told Reuters.
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Rescue workers carry a body of a victim, in the aftermath of a strong earthquake. Reuters.
Myanmar’s military is struggling with limited resources and widespread destruction, has acknowledged the grim numbers but admits the real toll could be far higher.
Telecommunications remain down in several quake-hit regions, leaving entire communities cut off from aid.
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A vehicle is trapped under the rubble of a building that collapsed. Reuters
With roads cracked and bridges destroyed, rescuers are digging with their bare hands in blistering 40-degree heat. The lack of heavy machinery has made clearing debris painfully slow, forcing families to endure an agonising wait for news of their missing loved ones.
For Myanmar’s Muslims, this Eid is one of mourning.